Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1962)

» ADLINES & EXPLOITIPS • ALPHABETICAL INDEX • EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY • FEATURE RELEASE CHART • FEATURE REVIEW DIGEST • SHORTS RELEASE CHART • SHORT SUBJECT REVIEWS • REVIEWS OF FEATURES • SHOWMANDISING IDEAS I 5 THE GUIDE TO§BETTER BOOKING AND B U S I N E S S B U I L D I N G Blind Service Aid Warms 'Miracle' Campaign Above photo shows a display of the one-hand manual alphabet for communicating with deaf-blind persons and Patty Duke, a star of "The Miracle Worker," talking (by hand) with Bob Smithdas in the Plaza lobby at Patchogue, N.Y. People Line Up in Lobby To View Hand Alphabet Display and Get 5,000 Pieces of Literature Many patrons of the Plaza Theatre in the Long Island, N.Y., community of Patchogue have a more ssonpathetic regard for blind-deaf persons, and a knowledge of how better to help them, thanks to Manager Charles Stokes and his promotion for “The Miracle Worker.” Stokes admits that he got a lot of pleasure in selling this screen drama based on the seemingly hopeless affliction of Helen r Keller and the successful struggle by friend Anne Sullivan to bring light to her mind and soul. BEST PART UNPLANNED The opening at the Plaza Theatre was one of the premiere showcase dates for “The Miracle Worker,” with star Patty Duke making a personal appearance. The Plaza manager made the most of the short time she appeared, and he had good playdate publicity, but the most interesting part of his campaign was implanned — the result of a call on the nearby Suffolk County branch of the Industrial Home for the Blind. His request there for help on a lobby display was referred to Anne Sullivan Macy Service for Deaf-Blind Persons in Brooklyn, 60 miles away, and Stokes made the trip there. Director Bettiger was “keen” to help put up a display at the Plaza Theatre; he agreed not only to supply the display material but came to Patchogue himself and set it up two weeks in advance in the Plaza lobby. DISPLAY IN 3 SECTIONS “The display was wonderful,” Stokes comments. It consisted of three sections. The center section was made up of 26 hands depicting the one hand alphabet method for communicating with deaf-blind persons. Another section was designated “The Worker of a Miracle” and consisted of reproductions of old photos showing the real Anne Sullivan and Helen Keller at different ages. The third section featmed interesting photos of students at the Home for the Blind, plus pictures of the grand old lady, Helen Keller. With this display, Bettiger supplied 5,000 pieces of literature, including: Introduction to the Industrial Home for the Blind, a pamphlet. The IHB in Suffolk County, a folder. “When You Meet a Blind Person,” a cardboard folder containing the alphabet in Braille, and 12 suggestions on what to do when you meet a blind person. Guide Lines, a booklet containing 26 “guide lines” for helping blind-deaf persons help themselves, plus visual instructions on the international standard manual alphabet and the American one-hand manual alphabet for commimicating to the sightless and speechless persons. Copies of the Reporter, the Industrial Home for the Blind, tabloid size paper. The issue supplied for the display, by fine coincidence, contained a photo of Patty Duke, star of the film conversing (by hands) with Helen Keller. Two pages of the Reporter contained a stoi-y of Bob Smithdas, a deaf and blind person who learned his basic skills at the Industrial Home and went on to win a college education and ultimately to stand on his own feet with a job and an apartment of his own. Stokes later got him to take part in the theatre promotion. “There was always a long line waiting to see this display, and I did not have a piece of literature left after two weeks,” Stokes reports. People seemed fascinated by the prospect of learning something about communicating with deaf-blind persons and how to treat them with a bit of warmth and understanding. During his visit at the nearby Home for the BUnd branch, Stokes discovered there were many members who still possessed (Continued on next page) BOXOmCE Showmcmdiser : : Dec. 24, 1962 205 — 1